Husband is 58. Diagnosed 3 and a half years ago, MCI probable Alzheimers. I am 56, working, with my youngest son still at home age 17, senior in HS. He has been through a lot during these past years.
I learn something new every time I read what everybody is saying in the discussions here.
After seeing the ages of the spouses I was under the impression that most of our loved ones here were in their 50s and 60s because the ages listed in “the ages of caregivers” indicate that 106 are in their 50s and 60s and only 27 are over 70. I assumed, incorrectly, that our loved ones would be about the same age as we are. Because of this I thought almost everybody on here had spouses with EOAD. It doesn’t really make any difference, because other than age, I think the disease is the same. Everything I had read up until now said that EOAD was about 5% of all Alzheimer’s which didn’t seem to add up here. Anyhow, I was becoming a little confused by the numbers until now. After seeing the figures in “how old is your Alzheimer spouse” I see that less than 50% are under 70 years of age while many of the spouses are younger.
I think that difference is because you need to be online to get here and there are a lot more people in their 50s and 60s online than there are in their 70s and 80s. When my father moved in with me after my Mother passed away last year I got him a computer and he still doesn’t trust it. He says there are too many nosey people on computers.
Thanks all for your continued support of this site. Your input does make a big difference to everybody that comes here.
I hadn't posted here before because I thought the info was already in Ages of Caregivers etc. Anyway I am 70, DH is 81. Dx'd at 79 but symptoms were at least 10 years before, I just had never thought of AD. I thought he was just getting nasty in his old age. DUH!
Mine is 69 diagnosed in March of this year but had problems only I noticed going back five years. After being difficult for most of our 28 year marriage he has become dependent and much easier to get along with. From what I read here I consider myself fortunate and am trying to appreciate every peaceful day. I know it could change at any time.
We've had some of these discussions before - a great many of us have spouses who are 10+ years older than we are. Aren't they lucky to have us still able to trot around for them! My impression is that a many of these older spouses are second marriages, which leads me to think that maybe something was going on with them with their earlier wife, which wasn't identified as dementia but which caused trouble.
Briegull, I think you may be on the right track with your ideas.
Also, I've only recently understood that EOAD is under age 65 which would include my DH based on symptoms -- lot more of that than I think folks realize.
My DH is 87, symptoms started about 10 yrs. ago.. I will be 81...our anniversary in Jan. will be our 59th.. My heart goes out to all the young ones that have this terrible desease, and the heartache it has brought to all these young families...God Bless You All
I am 51 my Wife is 59. Married just 21 years. Symptoms started at age 55 she quit working at age 57.
Pet peeve. . . . "EOAD" is the dumbest phrase in AD. Its use hampers recognition and treatment IF AD before 65 is "early" then AD after 65 is "on time" (?) IF AD after 65 is "on time" then it is 'normal' (?) IF AD before 65 is "early" then doctors should not even be thinking about it as a differntial diagnosis for symptoms until after age 65.
AD comes on when AD comes on. Hey medical community consider it WHENEVER symptoms present and stress early treatment to improve quality of life!